Cosa Nostra News

Richard Valentini, 52, of East Longmeadow, Mass., the one member of the Genovese crime family's notorious Springfield crew who flatly refused a plea agreement, wanted very much to go to trial and prove his innocence, as noted earlier this month . Each of the charges Valentini was convicted of carries up to 20 years in prison.  Well, he got part of his wish. He went to trial. However, the jury this past Monday didn't go for his version of events. Instead, they found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce and one count of interference with commerce by threat or violence . Valentini was one of five reputed members of the Genovese crime family's " Springfield Crew " who were arrested in August as part of the " East Coast LCN Enterprise"  case that alleges wide-ranging Mafia-related activity in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida ( and New Jersey, supposedly ). U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Hillman sche...

Five alleged members of the Genovese crime family's Springfield crew were arrested on Aug 4, 2016 as part of the " East Coast LCN Enterprise" case that alleges wide-ranging Mafia-related activity in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida ( and New Jersey ). From the five arrested only Richard Valentini is going to trial, as of now. Arrested were Ralph Santaniello, Giovanni (Johnny Cal) Calabrese, Gerald Daniele, Francesco (Frank aka Sammy Shark) Depergola, and Richard Valentini. In the time since, Santaniello, Calabrese, and Depergola have copped out in this case, while Depergola issued an intent to plead guilty.  As of November 28, only Valenti faces trial in this case, which the Feds describe as a Mafia extortion case. Valenti's attorney Jared Olanoff, however, is filing a "flurry of motions" to get a change of venue before the jury trial commences on Dec. 11 as scheduled, as Stephanie Barry reported on November 27 on ...